4 La Mesans Run in History’s Fastest Marathon; Bailey Clocks 3:08:34

The running world is buzzing after a Kenyan on Monday ran the fastest marathon in history—2 hours, 3 minutes and 2 seconds. But La Mesa has plenty to cheer as well, with four finishers of the fabled Boston Marathon.

Winner Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya finished the hilly 26.2 miles about 65 minutes ahead of La Mesa’s Charles B. Bailey Jr.  But Mutai is 29, and Bailey is 47.  Organizers said 26,907 runners finished the race this year.

With his time of 3:08:34, Bailey finished 244th in his age group, according to online results, and 2,695th overall.  He averaged 7:12 miles at Boston. Two years ago, he finished the Boston Marathon in 2:50:27.

Other La Mesa finishers were:

• Camp Cuthrell, 45, who finished in 3:21:22—a 7:41 mile pace.
• Carrie Adamson, 33, who finished in 3:55:12—an 8:59 mile pace.
• And Michelle Saumur, 39, who finished in 4:16:21—a 9:47 mile pace.

Mutai’s mark bettered the listed world record of 2:03:59 by Ethiopia’s Haile Gebrselassie, but is not likely to be ratified, since the International Association of Athletics Federations says the overall elevation drop at Boston exceeds its limits.

With a time of 2:04:58, American Ryan Hall broke the course record of 2:05:52 set just last year by Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot. 

“These guys obviously showed us what's possible for the marathon,” Hall was quoted as saying. “I was out there running, and I was thinking to myself, ‘I can’t believe this is happening right now. I’m running a 2:04 pace, and I can’t even see the leaders.’ It was unreal.”

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